If the organisation does not have the capability for workforce analytics or HR as the custodians of workforce data do not have the capability to contribute meaningfully to a business conversation then workforce analytics will continue to be skewed toward more easily accessible, and less reliable descriptive measures that will not take account of broader organisational and workforce issues affecting business performance.

The phrase big data has become so universal in its application that any and all data is now seen as ‘big’.  There is so much hype around big data that voices that speak of the need for caution, that argue for more thinking and less marketing phrases, and that refuse to believe that techniques of scepticism and the scientific method are dead can struggle to be heard. In fact, using our known philosophies and techniques are even more important when confronted be the sea of data available to us today.

The term ‘statistically significant’ is an often used but poorly understood term when used in to describe HR or workforce data. This is particularly the case when the discussion turns attitude and opinion data that is available from staff surveys. This post looks at the three elements of statistical significance that managers should focus on.  Author: A.J. (Tony) Cotton, AM